The KATRIN experiment aims to measure the effective electron antineutrino mass
m
ν
¯
e
with a sensitivity of
0.2
eV
/
c
2
using a gaseous tritium source combined with the MAC-E filter technique. A ...low background rate is crucial to achieving the proposed sensitivity, and dedicated measurements have been performed to study possible sources of background electrons. In this work, we test the hypothesis that gamma radiation from external radioactive sources significantly increases the rate of background events created in the main spectrometer (MS) and observed in the focal-plane detector. Using detailed simulations of the gamma flux in the experimental hall, combined with a series of experimental tests that artificially increased or decreased the local gamma flux to the MS, we set an upper limit of
0.006
count
/
s
(90% C.L.) from this mechanism. Our results indicate the effectiveness of the electrostatic and magnetic shielding used to block secondary electrons emitted from the inner surface of the MS.
The KATRIN experiment aims to determine the effective electron neutrino mass with a sensitivity of
0.2
eV/c
2
(%90 CL) by precision measurement of the shape of the tritium
β
-spectrum in the endpoint ...region. The energy analysis of the decay electrons is achieved by a MAC-E filter spectrometer. A common background source in this setup is the decay of short-lived isotopes, such as
219
Rn
and
220
Rn
, in the spectrometer volume. Active and passive countermeasures have been implemented and tested at the KATRIN main spectrometer. One of these is the magnetic pulse method, which employs the existing air coil system to reduce the magnetic guiding field in the spectrometer on a short timescale in order to remove low- and high-energy stored electrons. Here we describe the working principle of this method and present results from commissioning measurements at the main spectrometer. Simulations with the particle-tracking software
Kassiopeia
were carried out to gain a detailed understanding of the electron storage conditions and removal processes.
The neutrino mass experiment KATRIN requires a stability of 3 ppm for the retarding potential at - 18.6 kV of the main spectrometer. To monitor the stability, two custom-made ultra-precise ...high-voltage dividers were developed and built in cooperation with the German national metrology institute Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). Until now, regular absolute calibration of the voltage dividers required bringing the equipment to the specialised metrology laboratory. Here we present a new method based on measuring the energy difference of two Formula omittedKr conversion electron lines with the KATRIN setup, which was demonstrated during KATRIN's commissioning measurements in July 2017. The measured scale factor Formula omitted of the high-voltage divider K35 is in agreement with the last PTB calibration 4 years ago. This result demonstrates the utility of the calibration method, as well as the long-term stability of the voltage divider.
As it is well-known, one of the main problems of modern agriculture is the postharvest fruit losses due to pathogen's attack and natural senescence during storage. Well established solutions to ...improve this situation, such as, for example, storage under controlled conditions and the use of synthetic pesticides, are not free of problems due to human health risks and environmental effects caused by chemical pesticides. A new strategy to solve these problems consists of developing methods to improve the natural plant resistance by using, upon their identification, the plant's own defense molecules, in other words, applying methods based on the plant's own natural processes of pest suppression to control spoilage. This requires the identification of components of the natural defense response in plants, which, in turn, demands highly sensitive, fast, and versatile analytical methods especially for trace, nonvolatile, compounds. In this work a laser-based technique has been applied for screening the postharvest elicitation of resveratrol by Botrytis cinerea in grapes. Besides antifungal character, resveratrol is known to present important antioxidant properties, which could also have positive effects on fruit conservation during storage. Consequently, several experiments were carried out in which exogenous application of resveratrol to several fruits maintained their postharvest quality. The quality of both resveratrol-treated and untreated fruits has been studied by the assessment of the biochemical composition and sensory analysis. Indeed, the present work demonstrates that the external application of resveratrol does not alter the sensorial and biochemical properties of the fruit.
Braces with Intentional Eccentricity (BIEs) have recently been introduced as an alternative to traditional Concentrically Loaded Braces (CLBs) whose performance may overcome some of the shortcomings ...of the latter. It is postulated that the onset of local buckling in BIEs is delayed owing to a more even distribution of the strain demands under compression loading. Further, the significant post-yielding stiffness of the system can provide control over the predicted displacement levels under the action of the design earthquake. In this article, the results of the testing of four full-scale square ASTM A1085 HSS BIE specimens subjected to reversed cyclic loading are presented. The HSS members and eccentricities were selected with the intention of comparing the response of braces complying with and exceeding the CSA S16-14 global and local slenderness limits. The introduction of the eccentricity was achieved by means of side plates linking the HSS to bolted knife and gusset plate assembly connections. The experimental program is expanded and complemented with finite element analyses of additional BIE and CLB models. The experimental and numerical results show that the BIEs’ response displays the purported benefits of the introduction of the eccentricity. However, it was also found that fracture due to the rotational demand under tensile load at the bracing member’s ends can govern the failure mode of BIEs that are more resistant to developing local buckling at mid-length. The implications of the results to the design of Frames with Intentionally Eccentric Braces (FIEBs) are discussed.
Electrostatic cylindrical deflectors act as energy analyzer for ion beams. In this article, we present that by imposing of a radio-frequency modulation on the deflecting electric field, the ion ...transmission becomes mass dependent. By the choice of the appropriate frequency, amplitude, and phase, the deflector can be used as mass filter. The basic concept of the new instrument as well as simple mathematic relations are described. These calculations and further numerical simulations show that a mass sensitivity is achievable. Furthermore, we demonstrate the proof-of-principle in experimental measurements, compare the results to those of from a 1 m linear time-of-flight spectrometer, and comment on the mass resolution of the method. Finally, some potential applications are indicated.
The spectroscopy and kinetics of the tyrosinase catalyzed trans-resveratrol oxidation were investigated by measuring both UV-vis absorption spectra over the 200-500 nm range and Raman spectra over ...the 600-1800 cm(-1) region. Room temperature UV-vis absorption spectra, as a function of time, showed the presence of two isosbestic points located at λ(1) = 270 nm and λ(2) = 345.5 nm delimiting two different regions: the reactant region around 300 nm, where the absorption decreased with time, and the product region over the low wavelength (λ < 260 nm) and high wavelength (λ > 390 nm) wavelength zone in which the absorption increased with time until, in both cases, constant values were achieved. A first-order kinetics was deduced with a rate coefficient of k(1) = (0.10 ± 0.001) min(-1), which turned out to be independent of substrate concentration over the 50-5 μM range; a feature that was rationalized by invoking the limiting case of the Michaelis-Menten scheme appropriate for substrate concentration much lower than the respective Michaelis constant. The observation of the distinct resonance enhanced Raman lines, specifically those peaking at 830 cm(-1), 753 cm(-1), and 642 cm(-1) together with their time evolution, permitted us to gain insight into some crucial features and steps of the catalytic reaction. Namely, that the formation of the so-called trans-resveratrol and tyrosinase (S)P complex with its O-O bridge plays a crucial role in the first steps of this enzymatic reaction and that the hydroxylation of the ortho C-H bond of the trans-resveratrol OH group occurs after O-O bond cleavage in the tyrosinase active site. The present study makes clear that a class of potential inhibitors of tyrosinase can be found in compounds able to bind the two Cu (II) ions of the enzyme bidentate form.
A linear polarized transmission resonance Raman spectroscopic technique was developed to measure the depolarization ratio of different β-carotene Raman bands in carrot roots and mangos. Basically, ...this optical property was measured as a function of the vegetal tissue thickness and fruit postharvest lifetime. In general, the depolarization ratio increases as the sample optical thickness does and decreases as the fruit postharvest lifetime increases. In addition, a previous theoretical model was extended by considering the light state of polarization to obtain the depolarization ratio as a function of the sample absorption and scattering coefficient. It was shown how the reported theoretical model is able to satisfactorily describe the fruit optical parameter dependence on both the sample thickness and its postharvest time. Finally, the advantages and limitations of the present technique and theoretical mode are discussed.
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